Judge: No special prosecutor in 1957 slaying of 7-year-old

SYCAMORE, Ill. – A judge has ruled a prosecutor in Illinois had no conflict of interest in a case involving the 1957 slaying of a 7-year-old girl and has denied a request from the girl's brother for a special prosecutor.

The Daily Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/2b1DtP8 ) DeKalb County Judge William Brady ruled Friday that State's Attorney Richard Schmack had no conflict when he concluded Jack McCullough was innocent of Maria Ridulph's killing.

Brady denied a request from Charles Ridulph to have a special prosecutor review whether murder charges should be reinstated against the 76-year-old McCullough. McCullough was convicted of the crime in 2012 but released earlier this year after Schmack said a review found flaws in the case and determined McCullough's alibi was solid.